Overview
Jeffrey E. Stone concentrates his practice on white-collar criminal defense, complex commercial litigation, internal investigations and counseling to boards of directors and senior business executives. He represents corporations, boards of directors, senior executives and other individuals in a variety of complex civil litigation and criminal prosecutions involving a broad range of industries, including health care, manufacturing and financial services.
During his 30 year tenure at McDermott, Jeffrey has served as chairman of the Firm, Global head of McDermott’s Trial Department and head of the White-Collar Criminal Defense Practice Group.
A nationally recognized trial lawyer and Fellow and Regent of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Jeffrey has tried more than 40 cases to verdict before juries in federal and state court. He has been ranked for many years in Best Lawyers in America for Bet–the–Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, and White-Collar Criminal Defense. He is consistently named one of the Top 10 Lawyers in Chicago. He has taught trial advocacy at Harvard Law School, as an adjunct professor at Northwestern University School of Law, and at the US Attorney General’s Advocacy Institute in Washington, DC. He currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Prior to joining McDermott, Jeffrey served in the US Attorney’s Office in Chicago for five years as an Assistant US Attorney, concluding his tenure as deputy chief of the Criminal Receiving and Appellate Division. As an Assistant US Attorney, he tried numerous federal jury trials in the area of white-collar crime, focusing on complex financial crime, fraud, public corruption and tax prosecutions. He also argued and supervised numerous cases before the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. From 1983 to 1984, he served as a law clerk to Chief Judge Robert F. Peckham of the US District Court in San Francisco.
Results
- Represented the Special Committee of a NYSE company in connection with allegations of Board self-dealing and in connection with Delaware Chancery Court litigation
- Represented the former chief executive officer of a Fortune 100 company in connection with a criminal investigation and prosecution of alleged criminal antitrust violations
- Represented the Board of Directors of one of the nation’s leading utility companies in connection with a criminal investigation into alleged bribery and mail/wire fraud violations
- Represented a senior partner of one of the world’s largest private equity funds in connection with allegations of mail/wire fraud
- Represented numerous senior partners of various private equity funds in connection with their departures from their existing firms
- Represented one of the world’s largest media companies in a dispute over a multi-year leasehold interest
- Represented a leading dialysis provider in the United States, in transactions as well as nationwide litigation and regulatory compliance, including high-level criminal matters, False Claims Act cases, internal investigations, complex commercial and multi-district class actions, property and liability insurance matters, and other health care litigation
- Represented a consortium of the largest tobacco manufacturers in the world in a series of over 30 nationwide arbitrations
- Represented the Audit Committee of a Fortune 500 national travel services company in a prolonged SEC investigation
- Defended a Fortune 500 sportswear and equipment supplier against a whistleblower action alleging failure to collect/remit sales/use tax on shipping and handling charges
- Represented a chemical manufacturer in connection with a federal criminal investigation related to alleged criminal wrongdoing and falsifications under the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
- Represented an international health care company in a multi-year federal criminal and civil investigation
- Represented a senior executive of a Fortune 100 auto manufacturer in criminal and civil matters arising out of a worldwide automobile recall
- Represented a senior executive of a Fortune 100 international oil company in connection with criminal and civil environmental investigations
- Represented the Audit Committee of a major real estate and health care company in a prolonged SEC investigation
- Represented a senior executive of an international construction company in a federal criminal investigation
- Represented a senior business executive in a prolonged federal criminal tax investigation which, after a two-week jury trial, resulted in a verdict of not guilty on all counts
Recognitions
- Chambers USA 2020 and 2022, General Commercial Litigation and White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
- Featured as one of Litigation Daily’s Litigators of the Week, 2022
- The Best Lawyers in America 2006 to 2021, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Chambers Global 2019
- Lawdragon, Top 500 Lawyers in America
- The Legal 500 US, 2019 and 2022
- Who’s Who Legal: Illinois
- Stanford University, recipient of the Gold Spike Award, Stanford’s highest award for lifetime volunteer service to the University (2016); recipient of The Stanford Medal for distinguished and sustained alumni service (2006)
- American Jewish Committee, 2010 Human Rights Medallion for service in defense of civil liberties and human rights
Community
- American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow and member of the Board of Regents
- American Jewish Committee, Board of Governors; member of Executive Council; chair of Asia-Pacific Institute
- Attorneys’ Liability Assurance Society (ALAS), Chairman of the of Board of Directors
- Campaign for Justice, chaired annual Chicago-wide campaign in support of local pro bono and civic legal activities
- Center on Wrongful Convictions, Advisory Board member
- Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, served as a national trustee
- Legal Action Chicago, Chairman of the Board of Directors
- Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board, served as outside counsel (1996 to 2000)
- Jewish Family and Community Services agency, past president
- Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, served as board member
- National Institute of Trial Advocacy, faculty member
- Northwestern University, adjunct professor, Kellogg School of Management
- Stanford University, member of Board of Trustees; served for 12 years as national chairman of the Stanford Fund (responsible for all annual giving to Stanford University); served as Vice Chair of Stanford’s $1 billion Campaign for Undergraduate Education, as a member of the Overseas Studies Board, and as a member of the Task Force on Undergraduate Education
- US Supreme Court Historical Society, member of Board of Directors
Credentials
Education
Harvard Law School, JD, cum laude, 1983
Stanford University, BA, with honors and distinction, 1978
Admissions
Illinois
Courts / Agencies
Supreme Court of the United States
US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (trial bar)
